(Zikrullah i.e Remembrance of Allah)

Zikr-e-Ilahi

This portion highlights the importance and method for Zikr-e-Qalb (Remembrance of Allah in heart) in the light of Holy Quran and Sunnah (life & teachings) of Holy Prophet (S.A.W). Zikr-e-Qalb is undoubtedly the basis of the most important objective of all Islamic Sufi orders that is spiritual purification of the soul.

1. Zikrullah is a form of Ibadah (Worship)

Allah has ordained all Muslims in Holy Quran to perform Zikr:

“O ye who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance”

(Soorah Ahzab Aya 41)

Following is a quote by Allama Ibn-e-Kathir interpreting this verse of Quran:

“Hadhrat Ibne Abbas R.A (Companion of the Prophet S.A.W) while interpreting this verse pointed out that all forms of worship have two characteristics. First, there are certain exceptions in terms of time and situation that serve to limit the extent of such worship. Second, personal incapacity or inability to perform the worship has been accommodated. The only exception is Zikrullah which is limited by no condition or incapacity. All Muslims are ordained to perform Zikrullah at all times, in all conditions: while traveling; both in happy and troubled times, in health and in sickness; while walking,standing. Do Zikr in every condition.”

2. Various Forms of Zikrullah (Remembrance of Allah)

1) Zikrullah through Pious deeds: All form of worship such as offering Salah (Prayers), Zakat (Obligatory Charity), Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca), Fasting and even working honestly to earn livelihood etc are all forms of Zikrullah (Remembrance of Allah). Further details can be found in books of Islamic Jurisprudence.

2) Zikrullah through Supplications: Remembering Allah through reciting His book The Holy Quran as well as other recitations such as Durood Sharif and Kalima. Many such supplications (tasbeehaat) are recorded in books of Hadith.

3) Zikr-e-Qalb (Remembrance in heart): Remembering Allah quietly in the heart. It is also called Zikr-e-Khafi (Hidden Zikr) because it involves no recitation of words through tongue but only in the heart. Not even the Kiraman Katibeen (Two Angles recording human deeds) can know about it. This kind of ZirkuAllah will be explained further. However it is important to understand the concept of Noor-e-Nubuwwat SAW (Prophetic Lights) before that.

3. Noor-e- Nubuwwat (Prophetic Lights)

Noor-e-Nubuwwat is also referred to as Baraket-e-Nubuwwat (Prophetic blessings). Receiving these Prophetic blessings is an important objective of all Sufi orders. Following illustration comprise detail of Noor-e-Nubuwwat.

“Can he who was dead, to whom We gave life, and a light whereby he can walk amongst men, be like him who is in the depths of darkness, from which he can never come out?”

(Al Anaam, Section 15)

Maulana Zakriya has explained the meaning of this verse as following:

The person mentioned first is a faithful and his soul is illuminated with the Noor (Light) of love and cognition of Allah. The person mentioned later is devoid of these. This Noor is infact a great blessing of Allah. Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) used to pray to Allah to receive this Noor in all aspects of his life. Many prayers of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) have been recorded in Hadith requesting Allah for this Noor. It is this Noor which brings Noor (blessings) of Allah in all human acts. Pious Deeds reflect this Noor as these are lifted to the heavens (to Allah). The same Noor will be reflected from the faces of the faithful on the Day of Judgment.” (Fazail-e-Aamal Page 446)

Hadith Sharif written in Bukhari related by Hazrat Abdulla Ibne Abbas is as follows:

“O Allah, fill my heart with Noor, and fill my eyes with it, and my ears. And put (this) Noor on my right and my left. Below, on top of me and ahead of me. Make this Noor a (source of) big light for me.”

( Kitab-Dawat, Bukhari Volume III Hadith 1243

What! Is he whose heart Allah has opened for Islam so that he is in a light from his Lord (like the hard-hearted)?

(Az Zumar Section 3)

Shaikh-ul-Mukarram Ameer Muhammad Akram Awan has explained the meaning of this verse of Quran as following:

“(Zikr of Allah) makes effects of Remembrance of Allah and Noor-e-Nubuwat (Prophetic Lights) permeate deep in the heart. The heart is thus illuminated creating feelings and desire for piety and righteousness. Such feelings motivate a person to follow the Shariah in practical life. But in case Zikr Allah does not illuminate the heart then such deprivation of Prophetic Light is a sure sign of a misguided life.”

Allah (However) is merciful and has provided humanity with guidance through this Holy Book (Quran) which reiterates its wisdom in a manner that those who are blessed with the light of faith are deeply influenced by it. So much so that Zikrullah
(Remembrance of Allah) permeates their body and soul.

Hadhrat Isma binnat Abu Bakar has related that most companions of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) were blessed with these spiritual feelings. Whenever they heard recitation of Quran, they shed tears of love of Allah and even hair on their bodies resonated with these emotions.

May Allah again bless faithful Muslims with the desire to obtain this Noor-e-Nubuwat (Prophetic blessings) and thus illuminate their hearts with His Zikr (Remembrance)

“Allah guides to His light whom He pleases”

(Al Noor Section 5)

Every faithful Muslim is blessed by Allah to have a natural ability to illuminate his soul with Noor-e-Nubuwat (Prophetic blessings). Whenever the light of faith touches his heart, his soul is illuminated as if a lamp is lighted. Such a person’s life is indeed on the right path. What can be more; he also becomes a source of guidance for humanity. When such a person reaches in the company of an accomplished Sufi Sheikh then this illumination of soul is increased manifold. Then his heart is illuminated like a bright sun and he becomes a source of spreading these blessings in the world. This is the essence of Islamic Tasawuff (True Islamic Sufism); that inner souls be purified and illuminated with this Noor-e-Nubuwat (Prophetic blessings) to turn people into better human beings. A Sufi is thus an example of following the Shariah (Islamic way of life) and making best efforts to spread the light of Islam.4. Outcome of ZikrullahI- Faith and pious deeds lead to the spiritual state of Zikr-e-Katheer (Continual Remembrance of Allah). Continuous Zikrullah spiritually purifies the heart in a way that values of virtue and piety are imbibes in a person. He turns into a living example of following verse of Holy Quran.

“Surely the men who submit and the women who submit, and the believing men and the believing women, and the obeying men and the obeying women, and the truthful men and the truthful women, and the patient men and the patient women and the humble men and the humble women, and the almsgiving men and the almsgiving women, and the fasting men and the fasting women, and the men who guard their private parts and the women who guard, and the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember– Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward.”

(Al Ahzab, 35)

These values of virtue can be listed as:

Understanding the reality of Islam;

Understanding the meaning of faith;

Humility towards Allah;

Being truthful;

Patience in all circumstances;

Devotion in all pious deeds;

Spending energy and resources in the right causes;

Comprehending the reality of Fasting;

Being able to guide temporal temptations in the right direction;

Continuous remembrance of Allah.

II- Developing Wisdom & Insight

Those who remember Allah standing and sitting and lying on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord! Thou hast not created this in vain! Glory be to Thee; save us then from the chastisement of the fire:

(Al-e Imran, 191)

III- Contentment of Heart

“Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.(Ar ra’ad V 28)True contentment can only be achieved by something when it is at peace with its reality, when it achieves its true objective. The only objective of the spiritual heart is the remembrance of Allah. Hearts are at peace only when they are filled with the light of remembrance of Allah. All manifestations of material success such as wealth, power, and knowledge can be means to achieve this end but not an end in themselves.IV- Avoiding Negligence (from remembrance of Allah)Remembrance of Allah helps a person avoid the state of negligence. Holy Quran ordains all Muslims to remember their Lord with humility in their hearts without raising their voice; at both ends of the day that is morning and evening thus making best effort to avoid being a negligent (from Remembrance of Allah)..V- Receiving Continual blessings of Allah

Therefore remember Me, I will remember you, and be thankful to Me, and do not be ungrateful to Me.

(Al Baqarah 135)

Continuous remembrance of Allah invokes continuous blessings of Allah in terms of fulfilling all material and spiritual needs of a person and awarding him or her with the greatest reward of His love.

VI- Gentleness of Heart

“(Such People, that) when Allah is remembered before them, their hearts melt in (feeling of) His splendor and magnificence”(Al Quran)Zikrullah also helps in anger management and stress relieving as it softens the heart and turns a person into humble man or woman.